Neato4u's Bloghttps://neato4u.wordpress.com
The best is to share, not to keep!Wed, 24 Jan 2018 10:05:33 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngNeato4u's Bloghttps://neato4u.wordpress.com
How to revert back to DJI Pilot? (Android)https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2015/08/17/how-to-revert-back-to-dji-pilot-android/
https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2015/08/17/how-to-revert-back-to-dji-pilot-android/#respondSun, 16 Aug 2015 17:54:24 +0000http://neato4u.wordpress.com/?p=1555If you left your Google Play to ‘auto update’ apps, and you woke up with a dodgy DJI GO app that replaced your DJI Pilot – fret not. I have a copy of the final version of DJI Pilot app (version 1.2.0) that you can download on my dropbox.

Before downloading, I highly recommend that you turn off that ‘auto update’ by going to Google Play – hit your menu key, click on settings, click the ‘Auto-Update apps’ and select ‘Do not auto-update apps’. You can still update your apps manually though, so no worries on that.

Now that’s done and out of the way, you can uninstall your DJI GO app, and then download the final DJI Pilot app from my dropbox by clicking > HERE <

(There is no need to have a dropbox account to download, however, if you want one, please register via my link > HERE < and both of us may get extra space! Sharing is caring )

Make sure you allow non Google Play app to install by going to Settings > Security > then enable ‘unknown sources’ if you have not done so.

I found that DJI Pilot app is a bit lighter on processor usage then the DJI GO. What do you guys think?

By the way, here’s my recent video of Phantom 3 and Inspire 1 night fly for you guys to drool over

This post will show you some simple tips on how to do it. Who knows, you might actually unleash the hidden kitten beast that’s been lurking in your Android devices

If you have an Ipad Air 2 or an Iphone 6, you should have good smooth live view / FPV for your Phantom 3. However live view stutters and jerky are the norm if you are using an Android device. I’m using a Redmi Note (an Octa-core, 2GB RAM, Mali-450MP4 GPU) and things can get a little bit ugly for this mid range phone as it’s not that powerful to begin with.

However, I did some tweaks to my Redmi Note and saw great improvements afterwards. Although this is mainly focused on the DJI Pilot / DJI Go app for Phantom 3 live view / FPV – Normal Android users may also get benefit from this tutorial, resulting in a more smoother interface, faster response time on both normal tasks and gaming.

Watch the guide and let me know if this simple performance tweak works.

]]>https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2015/08/16/phantom-3-fpv-lag-fix-how-to-make-your-android-phones-perform-faster/feed/0neato4uHow to increase Redmi Note volumehttps://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/how-to-increase-redmi-note-volume/
https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/how-to-increase-redmi-note-volume/#commentsThu, 25 Sep 2014 16:00:00 +0000http://neato4u.wordpress.com/?p=1548One of the biggest letdown of Redmi Note is the below average volume that causes frustration even on maximum level. Be it normal ringing and notification, media playback, and even on loudspeaker.. Basically everything is below average.

Good thing its all tweakable via software side (and every Redmi Note should be able to do this no matter if you are on stock or custom ROM, rooted or not). As usual, I will show the process in the simplest way I can. However please bare in mind that I will not be responsible for any damages that happens to you or your device and proceed at own risk. Although I did this on both of my Redmi Note set without any damage or issues (it became a better phone actually!).

1. Open your dialler and dial *#*#3646633#*#* this will get you into Android engineer mode

2. Once in, swipe to the left until you see ‘Hardware Testing’ tab.

3. Tap on ‘Audio’.

4. From here you will need to enter ‘Normal Mode’ (the phone ring, notification, the primary speaker functions) then ‘Headset Mode’ (headphones) and ‘Loudspeaker Mode’ (handsfree call). As you will be doing the same stuffs on all 3 section, I will just show you how to (in detail) change one of it and you should be able to repeat the steps for the other two yourself. For now, tap on ‘Normal Mode’ and you will see the next image.

5. Change Max Vol to 160 then tap ‘set’. You will see the following confirmation.

6. Now tap ‘OK’ and tap on ‘sip’ (on the ‘type’ field) and you will get the following list.

7. Select ‘Sph’ and you will see the next image (notice that max vol field is greyed out).

8. A brief explanation, level ranges from 0 to 6. Its like a volume knob where 0 is lowest and 6 is the highest. From here I like to do things backwards. Remember we have initially set max vol to 160. So 160 will be the maximum volume that we should have / set for level 6. So let’s go to level 6 by tapping on ‘Level 0’ then tap ‘Level 6’ like below.

9. Set / change Level 6 value to 160 and tap on ‘set’ to save.

10. So from here you can lower down the value for level 5, then lower it some more for level 4, and lower it further for level 3 until level 0. Whatever you do, you want a higher value then default. Here’s my new value :

– Below average volume (fixable with minor software tweak)
– An average camera quality (a lot of noise if you ask me)
– The 8GB internal storage limitation (no higher capacity offered at the moment for Redmi Note) – No capability to store pictures and application data to SD card (v30 have save picture to SD card but not officially available for Malaysian users yet – although you may flash it yourself manually – and of course software tweak avaialble for phone to see SD card as its main memory, surpassing the 8GB limitation).
– No NFC support (bummer!)

So what about the rest? Remember, this is a $157 phone that we are talking about. Apart from the cons listed above, the rest are just fantastic.
– Cheap @ RM509
– 5.5′ HD IPS display (720p, not full HD)
– Good battery life (Can stand up to a day of moderate to heavy use)
– Dual sim
– Design does not look cheap! (I love the design!)
– A lot of accessories on the internet
– It’s an Octacore! (Ok its fast)

If you plan to get one of these. Id say just grab it, it’s worth the every buck you spend.

Here is my battery life screenshot with mobile data and wifi turned on throughout the day (and night).

6 hours of screen time with a day plus of battery life is good enough for me. I still remember using my old Samsung Galaxy S3 that stuggled to last even 8 hours with screen time almost to 3 hours under the same condition (data and wifi turned on).

The aftermarket battery cover replacement feels nice to the touch. It has this matte feel and offers more grip then the standard cover. Also, no more fingerprints (except the little exposed area near the camera)

Best bang for the buck. The Redmi Note is definitely a keeper

]]>https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/09/24/redmi-note-review-battery-life-and-aftermarket-battery-cover-replacement/feed/0neato4uunnamed.jpgredminote.jpgIMG_20140924_153001-picsay.jpgIMG_20140924_153507-picsay.jpgBuying a Redmi – “You are in line”https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/08/26/buying-a-redmi-you-are-in-line/
https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/08/26/buying-a-redmi-you-are-in-line/#respondTue, 26 Aug 2014 13:09:42 +0000http://neato4u.wordpress.com/?p=1528Since I got myself a Redmi Note, I am so pleased with the performance and built of this budget smartphone. But it’s no ordinary budget smartphone… Instead, it carries quite a heavy specs such as the 8 core (Octacore) 1.7Ghz processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 13 Megapixels front camera to name a few.

Redmi Note is sold for RM507 (around 160 USD) and may only be officially bought online from their site (www.mi.com/my). However you can’t just go now and buy. Instead, you will need to wait for their flash sale (that usually lasts from a couple of minutes) and make your way through against other online users to grab one.

Announcement of their sales will be via ‘Xiaomi Malaysia’ facebook page. Usually around 12pm. Getting a unit will not take long, but don’t be late as per the official record, 100,000 of their Mi3 unit was sold out within 1 minute and 26 seconds.

So what do you need in order to grab a unit? Either a paypal account or a credit card that works with paypal (as Xiaomi uses paypal as their purchase gateway), oh and let’s not forget, you will need an account with mi.com as well.

By any chance that you are stuck during “You are in line” for more then a minute, try registering another account and try your purchase again. Most of the time it works.

]]>https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/08/26/buying-a-redmi-you-are-in-line/feed/0neato4u10.jpgScreenshot_2014-08-26-12-02-07.pngQuanum DIY FPV Goggle Set with Monitor (KIT) Reviewhttps://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/quanum-diy-fpv-goggle-set-with-monitor-kit-review/
https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/quanum-diy-fpv-goggle-set-with-monitor-kit-review/#commentsSun, 22 Jun 2014 14:49:10 +0000http://neato4u.wordpress.com/?p=1510Recently Hobbyking have launched a $29.90 (exclusive of shipping) FPV Goggle or formally known as the ‘ Quanum DIY FPV Goggle Set with Monitor (KIT)‘. It is the cheapest FPV goggle so far on the market. But by cheap, does it comes good as well?

When this product first came out, thousands of RC enthusiasts wanted a piece of it. And within a day or two after it was launched, the product was out of stock.

I was one of the few (lucky?) ones to get the first batch and had my dirty hands all over it . So, considering the light-weight price of $29.90, is this Goggle worth it? Well.. come on in to read my review and be a smart consumer!

I ordered some other stuffs along with the Quanum DIY FPV Goggle Set via EMS. Shipping from Hobbyking took a week to arrive in Malaysia. Packaging was good as usual. There was a ‘fragile’ sticker sticked to the box considering the FPV goggles were made of foam so some accidental squish may crack it to pieces. So in terms of shipping and packaging, so far it is okay.

The Quanum Goggle was inside it’s own little packaging box.

Opening it up reveals some black foams in two halves. Some items in clear plastic, and another small white box.

Once I went through everything, this is what you get.

– A pair of black foam (for you to DIY and construct a casing for Goggle)-a 4.3inch monitor with jst power cable– some focusing / fresnel lens– and some other DIY things like straps, screws, and soft foam to complete your DIY Goggle.

If some of you are wondering, what else do I need to make this goggle work? Here is a short list :

– RCA Audio / Video cables
The Quanum Goggle accepts 2 video input via the yellow and white wire. There is no audio input as there are no build in speakers on the monitor. Red wire from Goggle accepts a DC input via bullet tip.

– Any 3S lipo with jst connector (Quanum comes with a jst input cable to power up the Goggle). Based on web spec, it may be powered up via a 2S or 3S lipo, but I only tested this with 3S and it works fine.

– A video receiver to receive your video transmission. This vary depending on your setup, and you will need a power source for your video receiver as well (or mod so both can share)
If you are starting up with FPV, read my FPV For Dummies guide!

Quanum DIY FPV Goggle Set with Monitor (KIT) – The GOOD (and some okays)The BAD and the UGLY!

What’s good about this stuff apart from it’s dirt cheap price?

The GOOD – EPP Foam housingWell, for me the EPP foam that constructs to the Goggle case is okay. It fits to my face and have enough room to stick my nose out at the bottom. In terms of comfort, I cannot say because I have sold this Goggle just minutes after buying it (HA! Read on!) It wouldn’t match those fatshark or AIO / Boscam goggles out there for sure. However those EPP foams are carved well (although mine did have some squint / bended foam maybe due to the heat or pre-bended before shipping hehe) with dedicated slot to hold the included 4/3inch monitor in place.

The okay – Custom Fresnel lens“The lense you have to trial and error, all depends on your eyesight. Like HBK says… there is no clear winner for the fresnel lenses” – Kelfo. This is what one of my friend commented about those focusing lens. Although he did acknowledged that it helped him to achieve better focusing with it.

The BAD and the UGLY – The LCD monitor!It is bad and oh boy the resolution is UGLY. I have seen cheap monitors around, but I have never seen anything like this before.

According to web spec, this monitor is a 480px so it’s 480 x 270 in resolution. So that is pretty darn low. But upon powering it up, I see the DPI or PPI is also darn low. I don’t have a way to measure, but roughly I would say it’s around 128dpi or lower (eg. HTC Evo have the same sized screen but have 217dpi with 480 x 800 resolution) so not only you are dealing with a very low resolution monitor, even the screen is not capable for an average quality display. But wait, that is not all, the contrast ratio is also crap (explained later). Overall, this monitor is very UNDER-PAR and in my personal view “does not fit for FPV purposes”.

Allow me to go in detail. First, in regards to resolution and dpi / ppi – When you power it on, you will notice that there are somewhat thick horizontal lines that interfere with your video. Don’t bother adjusting it, that is the cause of very low resolution mixed with very low dpi. Another thing, on the picture above.. do you see those dark areas surrounding the monitor. That is the real black. Have a look at the 4.3inch Quanum monitor screen now – see those black bars on top and bottom. Those are supposed to be black right? See how black it is? This is where the sub-par contrast ratio kicks in. Don’t bother adjusting the brightness to low (and bumping up contrast while you’re at it) because it makes no difference. You can’t see proper black, and everything appears to be over bright. Viewing the monitor at an arm length clearly shows all of it’s bad characteristics – resolution, dpi, contrast ratio… so just imagine when viewing the monitor up close via Quanum moulded housing with those focusing lens up close. Now that is UGLY!

If only Hobbyking ships these with a good 640 x 480 resolution with acceptable contrast ratio, then everyone will be a happy customer. Of course that will bump the price up a bit but it will be worth it. Shipping these with a crappy monitor will just kill those who are new to the hobby (or those who are on a very tight budget). I’d say you are better off buying an aftermarket 4inch monitor or a 7inch (because 7″ costs around RM150 here – that’s about $44) put on some sun shades and mount it on top of your transmitter – because you will see a huge difference compared to this crappy monitor display. OR, buy a good quality 4.3 inch monitor and replace the stock that comes with this package if you still want a cheap DIY FPV goggle.

If you have just starting up with FPV and have not bought yourself a goggle or monitor as of yet. I would highly NOT recommend this for you. Even if you are on a tight budget! My unit was sold for less then the original brand new priced item and I even warned my buyer of how bad and crappy this thing is (which he accepted and later told me “resolution is really worse than shitty“. Fact is that I am even ashamed to sell this back off to anyone!

Again, if you are on a tight budget, at least get a LCD monitor. I personally would recommend Surveilzone 7″ 800 x 480 (pictured below) that costs around $55 inclusive shipping. It costs a little more, but at least you can use it for FPV! However if you are serious about FPV, grab the Boscam AIO Goggle (also available under Surveilzone.com) or at least a Fatshark Predator (I would recommend Dominator and up for a more better FOV – this is if you are comparing to other Fatshark models, but really, just buy the Boscam – it’s worth it).

So what is my honest verdict of the Quanum DIY FPV Goggle Set with Monitor (KIT)?Totally not worth it (not even for it’s $29.90 price tag) stay away!

]]>https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/quanum-diy-fpv-goggle-set-with-monitor-kit-review/feed/2neato4uquanum fpv goggle reviewitem arrivedpackaging of quanum fpv diy gogglecontents of packagedetailed content of quanum fpv gogglequanum fpv goggle epp foamHigh-Performace-Triple-RCA-Patch-Cable-25-135-1Image1.jpglipovideo receiverquanum fpv monitorquanum fpv goggle reviewfpvmonitorTips & Advices – Performing Umrah (Part 1)https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/tips-advices-performing-umrah-part-1/
https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/tips-advices-performing-umrah-part-1/#commentsSat, 17 May 2014 20:05:14 +0000http://neato4u.wordpress.com/?p=1464Alhamdulillah (thank you to Allah) the Powerful, most Gracious and most Merciful – that had given me (and more chances to my beloved mum) a chance to perform Umrah (the visit – in arabic is ‘I’timaar’) in the Holy City of Mecca / Makkah in Saudi Arabia, which distance is around 6981km from the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

The trip started back in 1st April 2013 and we were safely back in Malaysia on the 13th according to schedule. It was a wonderful, educational, and all around … (words just couldn’t describe the joyful feeling that I had) experience – especially given the opportunity to set my foot on the Holy Land, and seeing the muslim Qibla / Kiblah / Qiblat which is the Sacred House of Kaaba up close and personal (I wanted to say with my two own eyes, but the eyes are not mine – just borrowed items by Allah)

My post is all about the experience, some tips and advices for those who are going there. If you are searching for Dua’s (doa / invocation) or religious guidance on how to perform Umrah – then these sites below will probably be more useful and specific to your needs. Please bare in mind that I am not responsible for the content. If you are unsure, consult those who knows.

What I will cover is in terms of physical (and maybe some mental) preparation, tips, and guidance when you are there (be in the city of Madinah or Mecca itself), what are the things you should and should not bring along, the do and don’t – to hope that you will have a comforting, safe and pleasant journey so that you can concentrate more on doing ibada (or worship) instead of thinking (or even complaining!) about this and that.

For those who are going there, I hope that my post will provide you with supplementary tips and advice – and for those who have plans (or even those who don’t!) may have a better insight and preparation before you are invited by Allah to His Holy Land. Where “The best is to share, not to keep!” – I neato4u hope that this post will be of benefit, at least to a few out there

Enough with the lengthy introduction – let’s move on to our first part of this Part 1 of “I have no idea how many” (God knows!) first chapter – “PREPARATION” where we will cover these topics below :

– THE MENTAL PREPARATION BEFORE PERFORMING UMRAH– LEARN THEORY, AND DO A MOCK PRACTICAL– THINGS YOU SHOULD BRING (AND NOT).

My writing will be a bit different than the rest of Umrah / Hajj guide out there, so come on in and have a read!

CHAPTER 1 :PREPARATION

– THE MENTAL PREPARATION BEFORE PERFORMING UMRAH –

Some says Umrah is the ‘little Hajj‘ (or lesser pilgrimage) – although not compulsory, but is highly recommended. If you have a chance to perform Umrah before Hajj (like me), consider yourself lucky as although as easy as it sounded for those who wanted to go there (as the cost is getting cheaper and most private travel companies offers Umrah packages with good deals) – not everyone wants or have the desire to go there in the first place. Take a look around and see how many people who have financial capabilities and all the time in the world to actually go there but still have not. And now have a look at yourself that is preparing to go there (and getting good preparation by visiting this and other relevant sites for info). You deserve a pat on the back. And this is why you are going there – because you have been Invited

The first and most important thing to think about is your ‘purpose‘ or ‘intention‘ of performing Umrah. Is it because someone asked you to? Is it because you will have the chance to wish (at a Holy and blessed place where wish is very highly granted by Allah) for the things that you like? For wealth? Or is it just to accompany someone there? Or perhaps you think this is just a trip like any other vacation that you have went to? To take pictures and post them in facebook, instagram, tweeter, or your blog even? To meet new friends? To find business along the way? Or maybe someone have told you that the dates (kurma) in Mecca are good and cheap? The kebab’s are the best in the world? Yes, I (and many others) have been in these kind of situations before. Maybe it is the devils doing, planting ideas into our heads – or maybe it is just plain ‘us’ that have our minds corrupted. In any way, make sure these are NOT your PRIMARY purpose or intention of going there for Umrah.

So some may ask and still figuring out, what IS my purpose or intention to perform Umrah? Simple answer – to seek Allah blessings of course. To go there and wish that you be a better muslim. To go there and seek for Allah forgiveness. Make sure that these are your main purpose and intention to perform Umrah, and insyaAllah He will also make your life better. Who understands us better than Allah? If you are a parent of a newborn child – do you wait for the child to say “please give me food” or “please give me some clothes” or “I want to play with you“? Instead you already know what the child wants (even when the child does not even know what they really wanted) even though they did not say it. And MasyaAllah, this is Allah the all-knowing, the all-mighty. Is there anything that goes on without Him knowing it? I will leave that for you to answer yourself.

– LEARN THEORY, AND DO A MOCK PRACTICAL –

If you are performing Umrah via a private travel agency, these travel agencies have and will offer scheduled classes and briefings to explain and educate on how to perform Umrah (at least that is what most agencies offer here in Malaysia). However I urge you to study and explore about Umrah before attending these classes so you will have a better exposure of the subject. The things which you learn in class will support whatever that you have self-learned before. This will greatly increase your understanding, and do not be shy – take the classroom opportunity to ask anything that is in doubt. Especially about what is allowed and not allowed during the ihram state. I have seen some peoples who went and have little to no idea about what is forbidden in ihram that ended up in paying compensation for their fault and wrong doings. While it is not a sin if you do not know, but these small incidents will leave a bad taste to yourself during Umrah, and some may be broken hearted and worried afterwards. What we want is a perfect and peaceful environment that will not interrupt your ibada. So take some time and learn ahead before the classes begins. Take small notes in bullet forms and try to memorize it. You can bring books and notes during your rituals when you are there (in the Holy city, while performing ibada like tawaf or sa’e, etc) – however it is best if you could memorize the basics to make it a more comfortable and pleasant experience.

One of the things which made me confused and doubts was the act of ‘tawaf‘ (the circling of Kaaba). I find it a bit difficult to understand because I have never been there before, and there are act that you must do in certain places when performing ‘tawaf’. The fact that you need to circle it 7 times made it more confusing to what I should do and do differently on each circles. To make it more confusing, there are different types of tawaf’s as well. However, take my tips to make it easy. In tawaf’s there are things which are repetitive on every circles (you remember these things and just repeat them in every circles) and there are recitations which are differents during sequence of the circling. During class, ask and segregate these two things so that you will have a better understanding of the basic core (the repetitive and unchanged recitations and doings). Remember, you will be able to bring books and notes during tawaf if you want to. So do not worry about memorizing the lengthy dua’s (although it is not wrong for you to memorize, and is better if you did).

Understanding the basic core of tawaf is very important so that you are able to be more connected to God and turn on that emotional feelings of how grateful you are to receive His invitation, the chance for your wish to become a better muslim (or muslimah) that is highly granted, to seek for His forgiveness and escape from all punishments and Hell. And don’t forget to make a wish so that Allah grants us Heaven without ‘hisab’ (being calculative), and let us enter Heaven with his grace (rahmat) instead. As Allah is the most merciful and most loving, this is the Ultimate wish that we all hoped for.

Some agencies do a mock practical on tawaf where every participant gets a try – simulating the real thing. I wasn’t that lucky but was just shown an example of how to tawaf. It was quite a crash course so everything seemed too quick and too much information that I could digest. Fortunately my wife did record these on video and I was able to run through them again (and again and again and again, even after boarding on plane!). I strongly suggest that you do a ‘simulation’ of tawaf by yourself. You can do it at home even. Just grab a square pillow and place it in the middle (to simulate kaaba), then circle around it as if you are doing the real thing. Do this until you are comfortable with the basic core and I assure you are going to have a great and satisfying time when the actual ritual is performed.

– THINGS YOU SHOULD BRING (AND NOT) –

The things that ‘I believe‘ you should bring (based on my experience) are :

cash (allocate to buy clothes (in addition to other things) when you are there – go light, return loaded)

a small pouch that you can wear on your shoulder (good if the pouch can hold item no 9 inside) – usually travel agency will provide

your ihram clothes (at least 2 suits – this will take the most space in your luggage as the cloth material are quite thick, and please find the thick cotton because it is going to be cold at night)
for ladies, your ‘telekung’ or cloak covering a woman’s head dan body worn at prayer (no face covering mask, this is prohibited during ihram)

small scissors and a shaver (used when finishing sa’e – shaver if you plan to bald your head, if not scissors is enough – and no, you are not going to shave your head until bald yourself, you do this at a barber shop – shaver is just to run through your bald head when you have finished sa’e if you do not have hair)

book / notes of dua’s (doa / invocation) – see if you can find a small book that you can hang around your neck with string

undergarments (at least for 5 days)

normal clothes (for 3 days, eg t-shirts, slack, long sleeved shirt)

essential toiletries for men (toothbrush, toothpaste, shaver) and ladies (tampons, pad – just the essential basics – the rest can be found in hotel)

a pair of sunglasses (you will need this when visiting around places, trust me)

a jacket (you will definitely need this, a must bring! Don’t underestimate the sunny sky of Arabia as sometimes it is very cold at night)

a pair of slippers that does not cover fingers of the feet

a clean pouch to put the slippers inside (you can also use a clean plastic bag if you don’t have any pouch or does not bother to buy one – this is to bring your slippers inside the mosque, to avoid from being lost or misplaced – Yes you CAN bring slippers inside, talk about it later).

an international adapter to charge your phone / smartphone (if you bring one and I will show you how it looks like later)

a clock with an alarm function. If you have your phone or smartphone with you, then this will do.

aspirin / paracetamol (panadol and the likes) as the chances of you falling sick will slightly increase.

Let me explain the itemized list in detail too so you will have a better understanding why :

(1) Cash
List down what are the things that you would like to buy and estimate how much do you need to bring (do include for foods too, although all main servings are provided by your travel company, I am sure you wanted to try some local dishes too while you’re at it). But remember to allocate money to buy your own clothes that will be your daily attire over there. This is the reason why you only bring normal wear enough for 3 days, so that your luggage is light and have space for new clothes.

For men, you may get these dresses shown below as cheap as 20 riyal (price @ 2013). However, quality does come with price. I suggest that you shop around and get a quality wear which price will be a bit expensive (above 50 riyal I believe) but much cheaper there compared to the same stuff in your country. Not that these dress will blend you into the community, it is also appropriate for prayers and a good ‘gift’ for yourself to bring back home.

(2) Travel luggageWhile you may bring backpack, I suggest that you go for a wheeled luggage instead such as below. Your travel company will usually take care of your luggage – making sure they board the aircraft, until it arrives at the hotel in Saudi Arabia. Don’t store everything here though (if you lost this, you will lose everything) – which is why I also recommend a sling shoulder pouch bag that will be covered in item number 4 later. It may be best to ‘mark’ your bag so it differentiates from others, and enable you to see it from afar. For mine I cut a piece of white cloth and draw a logo with black marker pen. My adorable wife sew it on the bag front and also side. With this, I can identify my bag from afar.

(3) A small lock for your travel luggage and or pouch
Nobody likes it when other people simply unzip and check your belongings – and these could occur in just seconds. To safeguard your stuffs, why not spend a bit on small locks like the one below. I personally like (and bought) the one with combination locks (the red one) instead of keys.

(4) a small pouch that you can wear on your shoulder
Use the pouch / sling bag to store your dua books, notes, and perhaps your slippers (wrapped in clean pouch or plastic bag, make sure separated from dua books section). You may also store some of your cash here, and maybe your smartphone. Do not leave your pouch at all times and keep it beside or in-front. You may wear this while in ihram or while tawaf (the circling of kaaba), it is not a problem (consult your religious teacher if unsure). Some travel companies even provide these sling bag too, so check with them before buying – the last thing you want is unnecessary stuffs to buy and bring – remember, this is not a vacation!

(5) your ihram clothes (at least 2 suits – this will take the most space in your luggage as the cloth material are quite thick) for ladies, your ‘telekung’ or cloak covering a woman’s head dan body worn at prayer (no face covering mask, this is prohibited during ihram)
Your ihram wear looks like a towel, but bigger, a lot bigger. I have seen people with ‘modern’ ihram wear that cloths are thin. When you may be thinking that the weather is hot in Mecca and Madina, getting a slightly thicker ihram cloth are much more recommended as it is sometimes very cold during night. Even in the Prophet Mosque, Al-Masjid An-Nabawi and also in Masjidil Haram it can be pretty cool to cold as some part are highly air-conditioned. Having 2 or 3 suits would be enough. Just send them to laundry (in hotel) if it gets dirty. If any of your close family members have already worked out Umrah or Hajj, use theirs instead of buying new – as there will be no use for it when you return home. Ihram cloths are quite expensive ranging from RM65 onwards. For muslimah, the same goes for your telekung. And try going for plain instead of striking colors and embroideries to avoid unnecessary attention. Muslimah dresses are also cheap. If you are in Madinah, on the way to Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, there will be sellers along the road that sells variety of items ranging from hijab to full dress, perfumes, and much more. You will see these after Fajar / Subuh prayer and between every prayers after. In Mecca, same thing happens along the road to Al-Masjid Al-Haram. Prices between Madinah and Mecca is around the same. Negotiate before buying, but be serious too – if you have said the price and the seller agreed but you declined it instead, there may be trouble and the seller may cause a scene. So before noting any price, make sure you confirm of buying it when the seller agreed. The best way, let the seller tell you the best price their offer instead. This way, if you are not satisfied, you can just walk away.

(6) small scissors and a shaver
Store these small scissors and shavers in your sling bag. This will be used to cut / shave your hair after sa’e (from Safa to Marwa) during tahalul (tahalul is what we call the act of cutting hair / shaving in Malay, although I am not sure what it is called in English) that denotes the completion of your state of ihram. Now you may have heard that it is best to bald your head (for men) when completing the umrah – When I first heard this, I thought during tahalul we are to shave all of our hair ourselves until bald… and was wondering how this would look like when I am still standing there in Marwah (Sa’e ends in Marwah) or if there is some barber waiting to bald my head there. This was funny although I was very concerned back then. My mum (who have performed hajj and umrah several times before) calmed me down and told me to just cut a bit of my hair with scissors during tahalul. Then after that, on the way back to hotel, there are several barber shops along the way that you can drop by. I was a bit scared to be honest because I had never bald my head before! But it was a quick and painless process, and doesn’t cost much as well

(7) book / notes of dua’s (doa / invocation)
Usually your travel agency will provide these, but sometimes they provide books or notes that are big and not mobile friendly. Try finding something small that you can tie a string around your neck. This way it is very accessible and you do not have to waste time digging in your bag to find it.

(8) undergarments (at least for 5 days)
Send used one to hotel laundry. Or you can opt to shop around and buy new.

(9) normal clothes (for 3 days, eg t-shirts, slack, long sleeved shirt)
Bring some casual wear that you are comfortable with. Wear this at hotel after Isya prayer, during dinner or when going out to see the town of Madina / Mecca if you prefer.

(10) essential toiletries for men (toothbrush, toothpaste, shaver) and ladies (tampons, pad – just the essential basics – the rest can be found in hotel)

(11) a pair of sunglasses (you will need this when visiting around places, trust me)

(12) a jacket (you will definitely need this, a must bring! Don’t underestimate the sunny sky of Arabia as sometimes it is very cold at night)When it’s hot during the day, it is often cold during the night. The chill Arabian wind will soak to the bone. Get yourself a jacket to avoid getting cold. You may also need this during bus travel (some buses have powerful a/c and you can’t avoid it much). I don’t know about those of you that are used to cold or lives in winter climate countries. But for me as an Asian that lives in a tropical climate with no winter (although I often sleep with the a/c turned on) – Jacket is a must bring item for this journey.

(13) a pair of slippers that does not cover fingers of the feetIt is important that your pair of slippers does not cover your foot fingers. This is due to you being in ‘ihram’ state before performing your umrah. Get something comfortable. One tip, do not leave your slippers outside at Masjidil Haram. Even though they allocate small boxes for your slippers and shoes, don’t bother using them. There is a 90% chance that you will not see your slippers again. Carry your slippers inside by slipping it in the small pouch or plastic. But we will get to that in point number 14.

(14) a clean pouch to put the slippers insideNot sure if your travel agency / company provide these, but I believe it is not worth buying. You may either Do It Yourself (DIY) by using some old clean cloth material, or just go out and buy something from Tesco and re-use the plastic bag. Keep the empty pouch / plastic in your sling bag. When you arrive at either Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi or Masjid Al-Haram, take out your slippers, put them in the pouch / plastic, and store it inside your sling bag. If you can’t use your sling bag to store your slippers, just hold and take it inside with you. When you pray, put it beside you or in front of you. Just make sure the pouch and plastic is clean on the outside. The chances of you losing your slippers in Masjid An-Nabawi is much lesser then Masjid Al-Haram. I will try to cover this up in later topics.

(15) an international adapter to charge your phone / smartphoneIf you have a handphone / smartphone, just bring it. This is not the old days and having a mobile phone with you may save yourself from being lost (My mum was lost during one of our trip in Madinah, luckily we found her back – I”ll probably tell the story afterwards). Restrain from bringing lot of gadgets (like laptops tablets and such). Remember your goal is to perform ibada / ritual – not going there, get connected to facebook and post daily pictures!

This is what you need (at least for Malaysians. The input plug varies if you are from other countries / region. Don’t worry if you forgot to bring or buy this from home. Usually they will sell this at hotel. Price is a bit marked up, but not expensive.

(16) a clock with an alarm function. If you have your phone or smartphone with you, then this will doYou may have jet lag, but definitely you are going to be a little bit tired when you arrive as it is a long journey to get there (about 2 days). So make sure you set your alarm for fajar / subuh prayer, and all other prayer times as well. The first few days (for those who are not used to travel), may prove quite challenging as you try to adapt to new time zone, new climate and surroundings!

(17) aspirin / paracetamol (panadol and the likes) as the chances of you falling sick will slightly increase.A lot of people get sick over here. I was also down with headache and fever for 2 days. Try not to let these things stopping you from performing umrah and other good rituals. It is not everyday that you can be there, so make the most out of it and stay healthy!

–

I believe that will be all for the first chapter. Next I will focus on the journey itself and what you will encounter, what to expect. And tips as if this is your second visit to the Holy City. Hope this article helps and please subscribe if you want to be notified of my future posts.

]]>https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/tips-advices-performing-umrah-part-1/feed/1neato4uA trip to UmrahKL to Meccaumrah how totawaf the procedurejubah lelakineato4u in meccatravel luggagesmall locks for umrahpouch bag for umrahkain ihram untuk umrah dan hajigunting lipattahalul umrah hajibaju melayusunglassesslipper pouchadaptor saudiPlay Angry Birds Go on Nexus 7https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/play-angry-birds-go-on-nexus-7/
https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/play-angry-birds-go-on-nexus-7/#respondSun, 29 Dec 2013 21:17:18 +0000http://neato4u.wordpress.com/?p=1486It is simply irritating when you have a great device like the Nexus 7 and yet you can’t download Angry Birds Go! because “this item is not compatible with your device“?

I mean, what the heck? The Nexus 7 for me is a gaming tablet! With NVIDIA Tegra 3 that runs on Quad Core processors (not the 2012 version) – see also my review here – it is more than capable to run this silly game. Come on Angry Birds Go! now you’ve made me angry! How can Rovio do this? Do they have some grudge over Nexus or something. Even my ancient Single Core Sony Xperia Play and Dual Core China Lenovo phone is on the supported list! Screw you Rovio!

Well, let me tell you something. Angry Birds Go! does run on Nexus 7. If Google Play denied you access, pop up your tablet browser (I suggest Chrome or Firefox) and enter “angry birds go apk” Find the result from android mob and download the apk (It’s quite large but not huge). Then just open to install.

Update : I tried mine with result from theandroidapp and this one worked. Just download the apk and install. Data will be downloaded over wifi / 3G. Runs great on Nexus 7 – but my wife said the game seemed a little bit too ‘technologically advanced‘ for her (maybe she compared this with the original Angry Birds)

At first I wanted to host the apk on my dropbox, but not sure if Rovio would be happy about this (I mean, they SHOULD be happy of me promoting their game to ‘unsupported’ device that actually supports it!). But hey, you guys can give me a thanks by dropping a comment or subscribing to this blog

Update : And here is the Angry Birds Go! running on my Nexus 7.

]]>https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/play-angry-birds-go-on-nexus-7/feed/0neato4uNexus 7 incompatible with Angry Birds Go solutionangry birds go for nexus 7how to run angry birds go on nexus 7Maxis #Hotlink free internet (basic internet) and how existing Hotlink users upgrading to free internet.https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/maxis-hotlink-free-internet-basic-internet-and-how-existing-hotlink-users-upgrading-to-free-internet/
https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/maxis-hotlink-free-internet-basic-internet-and-how-existing-hotlink-users-upgrading-to-free-internet/#commentsSun, 06 Oct 2013 19:40:21 +0000http://neato4u.wordpress.com/?p=1451Looks like the hype is all around Maxis with their new offering of #Hotlink free internet for new (and existing – if you upgrade) prepaid users.

Before you go “YAY!” or “At last!” – first you got to know that this is a free BASIC internet, so the speed is capped at 64kbps maximum. What is 64kbps or how fast is 64kbps you may ask? Simple – take example this page which you browse right now @ neato4u.wordpress.com, this page has an estimation of 1.8MB total data to fully download and render it properly (on a full fledged desktop format) which will load 1 second on a 10Mbps broadband connection or roughly 3 seconds on a 5Mbps broadband (not bad right?) – however this same page will load in 3 minutes 44 seconds on a 64kbps speed offered by #Hotlink (okay you can ‘YAY’ now)

But what’s there to complain when it’s FREE? I don’t know about you guys but for me I personally think it’s rude to complain when people give you free stuffs. But then again, is this really free?

Well, it’s free for those who purchased the new Maxis #Hotlink starter pack that cost RM8.80. The starter pack comes preloaded with a RM5 airtime and is set for free internet capped at 64kbps maximum speed. But of course, the new pack have new tariffs as well that have its own high and (mostly) low perks..

For existing Hotlink prepaid users, yes – you too can enjoy free internet IF you upgrade to the new #Hotlink free internet package. To upgrade, dial *108*25# from your existing prepaid line (although I do not have any subscription with Maxis nor Hotlink anymore) – I am unable to try and confirm this from my end. I do heard that some users are facing error saying “Maaf, pelan yang anda pilih tidak sah, Terima kasih” (Sorry the plan which you choose is invalid) in which case I would highly suggest that you dial *100# and check or choose the option to upgrade manually.

– Before you upgrade, WAIT! –

Have a good read before you upgrade (I know free things are really tempting, especially if you are a Malaysian :P) – By upgrading you will lose your Activ10, Hotlink 5, Hotlink 10, Validity 90 and Validity 365 subscription and benefits (if you have any). If you plan to upgrade to #Hotlink free internet and THEN purchase Validity 365 OR Activ10, well… you just can’t because based on their FAQ, these services are not supported because.. I quote “the proposition of #Hotlink is FREE Basic Internet“ (kiss your 365 and other money savings bye bye!) Also, by upgrading – you are now bound by the new package plan and tariffs which is 12sen / 30 seconds (per 30 seconds charging block) for both voice and video calls, and 7sen / SMS applicable to all local networks. Not to mention a minimum of RM30 / month to keep your account active.

So that is a point to ponder and see if you are on the winning side or the losing side. If you are an existing subscriber of Activ10 and use it very frequently, you’re gonna lose quite a lot, especially when Activ10 offers 15sen / minute and 1sen / SMS (same telco). Or if you are an existing 365 subscriber with very less usage, you are going to lose more as you NEED to regularly top up now with the new #Hotlink free internet plan. That’s RM30 to keep your line active for a month, nothing lesser than that.

For your reference > The normal Hotlink prepaid plan comes with 20sen / minute and 5 sen / SMS to same telco or 30sen / minute and 10sen / SMS to other telcos (if you reload more than RM10).

However, if you did not opt for those subscriptions before, it is a good deal to upgrade your package to the #Hotlink free internet plan. If you need the internet for free and ready to upgrade your call and SMS tariffs and lose those said privileges for good of course…

– OK I am all set for free UNLIMITED internet, WAIT, **** it’s NOT UNLIMITED??? –

Who ever told you that it’s unlimited? Ha ha ha… yes even though you are capped on a ridiculous 64kbps, you are ALSO capped by their UNfair usage policy (FUP) of 3GB per month. Exceeding this will cause your free internet to transform into a NOT-SO-FREE anymore internet. Their FAQ page advice that your free internet will be disconnected – however I doubt this and believe once your phone reconnect it will suck your credits dry. But heck, I can’t believe how one could possibly utilize 3GB on a puny 64kbps connection – having a hard time understanding this? Try loading up a website with a 64kbps and see how long it takes to load, just try http://www.google.com and you will understand or better (or if you have faster internet speed.. hehe), check out Lowyat review on this by clicking > HERE <

– Do I really need free internet? –

If you are paying less then RM30 / month for your current prepaid subscription or does not use the internet or feel that it is important to you – from my point of view, it is better for you to stick with your current plan and packages because I feel it is a better deal compared to the #Hotlink free internet. It is freewith all the benefits and money saving options ripped off. If you really need to use the internet (and keep using Hotlink), just grab their daily RM1 internet access capped at 100mb or get the RM20 / month for 350mb worth of data – both without any cap in speed (until you reached the limit of course). For more information on Hotlink prepaid mobile internet plans and which suites you best, head over to their website by clicking > HERE <

– I am a new #Hotlink free internet user, does this means that all this free mumbo jumbo is worthless?? –

Well, if you just started and just purchased the starter package – no it’s not worthless (but maybe not the best value for your money). The free internet with 64kbps speed is good enough for WhatsApp and emails (and maybe good on other messaging platforms as well such as Line, WeChat, etc). If you are coming in fresh, you wouldn’t feel that much of a loss than existing users with benefits. For web browsing, try downloading Opera Mini (only 0.90mb in Google Play – assuming you are running on the most used mobile platform which is the Android) and see if it helps (I tried on slow mobile network, it doesn’t help much unfortunately – but hey, you may have different result). And yes, if you have a lot of friends on Whatsapp and have group chats or the sort, then you may probably enjoy the free internet provided. If you think I left out facebook – then yes, maybe I did.. because it was reported that facebook runs super slow with #Hotlink free internet, it is almost useless unless you are productive enough to hit retry retry and retry every now and then.

– ISP and Telcos, Hear my voice (err.. or read my texts)–

Consumers are getting brighter these days and are more computer / IT literate then it was several years ago (You need to remember it’s no more focused on Generation X that are very forgiving and respectful!) . Spooning them with a 64kbps FREE internet will just ruin their mobile internet experience (especially for users who did not use or experience mobile internet before). Offering a platform for free is a good step, but offering a platform such as these (in my own personal view) will just make it a platform for new internet users to curse and tell others how BAD #Hotlink is. Just imagine an excited never before use a mobile internet, purchased a #Hotlink starter pack that says “FREE INTERNET” – firing it up for the first time and trying to load http://www.google.com using their default browser, then typing in something to perform a web search – waited for a minute while anxiously staring at their browser white background for the result to come out only to see that… it timed out.

I had similar experience before when Celcom came out with their data only prepaid plan. It was cheap (I can’t remember how much I purchased those but I believe around RM25 or so – it was considered very cheap back in those days) but it ended up in me throwing their SIM card out of the window several hours after purchase because the speed was so ridiculously slow that I can not even load Celcom help page to check what’s going on (reception was good btw). I believe there will be similar users like me who’s going to throw their new #Hotlink out of the window too when they have a taste of the speedy 64kbps connection. Even worst, that feeling will leave a mark in their heart – yes not only mark of frustration, but with #Hotlink embedded all over it. It’s a scar for life.

I hope some good telco come up and offer their capped speed just good enough for good simple browsing and image loading. 64kbps is a joke and all around worthless. Unless we live in the early 90s where most websites are greatly texts and images are very optimized for page loading (whoops, don’t go venture into that personal Geocities page if you can’t wait!) and the people can afford to WAIT for pages to load (most people can’t even wait for a site to load if it’s more than 10 secs). I would say a 128kbps or a download speed of 15-20kb/s is the bare minimum that every ISP and telcos should go about when throttle is in place. But of course this will lead to reply that the fact they did not terminate and still offer ‘some’ service should be taken into consideration. Yeah, a consideration of almost non existent of the internet for sure.

– The conclusion –

My view of the #Hotlink free internet is a rip off of all the other benefits which Hotlink offers to it’s existing prepaid users. By adding the word ‘free‘ it catches a lot of attention. And by giving it away for ‘free’ – I am a bit heavy hearted to complain, so I will just say “this isn’t the best value for money“. If you really need internet, just purchase it – It’s not that expensive anymore, especially if you are only using it for simple browsing and messaging – Other telcos such as Digi offers RM18/month for a 300mb data and 30days validity (with unlimited surfing via Opera Mini), Umobile offers RM18/month for 250mb data with free 25mins free calls and 25SMS to all networks. Even Hotlink provide these but are expensive at RM20/month with 350mb and nothing else (no freebies no extra minutes calls no nothing). Which is why I have personally ported out from Hotlink a few years back because I find that their prices are not competitive when others can offer and beat their services. Sometimes it is better paying for something that works then getting free stuffs that doesn’t… or is it most of the times? LOL…

Do you know that you can keep your mobile number and port to other telcos as well? Read my porting experience > HERE < It offers a lot of consumer choosing powers for sure.

]]>https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/maxis-hotlink-free-internet-basic-internet-and-how-existing-hotlink-users-upgrading-to-free-internet/feed/3neato4uhotlink basic free internetwhatGangguan air Negeri Selangor 30 August 2013 – Selangor Water Interruptionhttps://neato4u.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/gangguan-air-negeri-selangor-30-august-2013-selangor-water-interruption/
https://neato4u.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/gangguan-air-negeri-selangor-30-august-2013-selangor-water-interruption/#respondFri, 30 Aug 2013 13:03:58 +0000http://neato4u.wordpress.com/?p=1445This article was written in Malay as it involves a local state wide incident. My apologies to English only readers and subscribers.

Update :The issue lasted for several days and it was highlighted in media shortly after this article was published (in written web form and full blown tv and radio mainstream media afterwards). Some places were severely affected (eg. PJ) but within a day water supply was restored even though it was low pressured. However when our month end water bill come, it shot up quite a bit despite the cut off supply and low pressured water for a couple of days. Not sure why this happened, but alas the bill was just around RM10+ (good thing we lived in Selangor). Congrats to all who made this a fast recovery, especially when millions of peoples is at stake. At least we can count on our water department sector. I gave them a thumbs up!